Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications and technology market is considered one of the largest in the Middle East, according to AbdulAziz bin Salem Al Rowais, governor of the Kingdom’s Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC).

Speaking at the CITC Regulatory Summit 2017 “Driving the Digital Transformation in the Region”, the top official revealed that Saudi Arabia’s spending on the sector increased 8% in 2016 to SAR 35 billion compared to figures from 2015, according to a statement by CITC on Wednesday.

The proliferation of wireless telecom services reached 151% in terms of population and 75% for broadband via wireless networks, the CITC governor revealed.

Saudi Arabia’s interest in bolstering its telecom sector has resulted in capital investments as well as network expansions and upgrades, he added, noting that the sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased to around 6% in 2016.